Improved ditching machine



. @eine gitana @anni @ffne- GEORGE SULLIVAN, OF WEST LIBERTY, OHIO.

Leim Patent No. 61,114, ma January s, 1867.

IMPROVED. DITUHING MACHINE.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONOERN:

Be it known that I, GEORGE SULLIVAN, of West Liberty, in the county ofLogan, and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful improvementDitching Machines and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilledin-the aprt to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings forming part of this speciiication.

My invention consists in forming a machine in such a manner that spadesof a peculiar form can be forced into the'ground at any desired angle,anda quantity of earth taken up by the spades being attached to a craneand the earth deposited in any desired position by swinging the craneand loosening the fastenings.

Figure 1 represents an end elevation of the machine through the line xa: of iig. 2, partly in section, showing the guide timbers and braces,and also the crane; likewise a side view of the spades orexcavators onthe guides with'their bails attached.

Figure 2 is a plan or top view.

Figure 3 is a View of the spades attached and locked together as theyare when raised from the ditch.

Figure 4 is a View of the lever by which the spades are forced into theground.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

A represents the frame or foundation which sustains the guide frames,and also upon which the crane rests. B represents the inclined guideframes; C the braces which govern the position of the guide frames; Dthe spades or excavators; E the windlass and crane.

The frame A is rectangular in shape, mounted ion truck-wheels, so thatit can be moved along to accommodate the work, and also fortransportation from place to place. It is formed of substantial outsidetimbers and with cross-timbers to support the crane and to keep thebottom ends of the guide frames in their proper places. The guide framesconsist each of two side timbers, with a'rail, Z1, at the upper part. Atthe bottom they are attached to the longitudinal timbers CZ by hinges a.These timbers are movable and can be made to slide towards the centre,so as 'to bring the lower ends of the guide frames near together whendesired to alter the working angle of the spades. The side timbers ofthese guide frames are rabbeted out at the upper inside corner, so as toform ways and guides for the spades to slide in. Atv the lower part ofthe rabbcted portion there is a groove on the inside to admit a lip orflange which extends from the bottom plate of the spade. This is for thepurpose of keeping the spades in place while they are being forced intothe earth. These spades are made something in thc shape of a roadscraper, but of iron or steel, or both, the bottom being of nearly asquare form, with hails attached to theirsides. z' shows the boils. Theiron frames of the spades extend up abovethe bottom, as seen at c,supported in the middle by a stud, o. The lever operates upon this barin forcing the spade into the ground; Attached rmly to the timbers dthere are chains f, which extend upward A'and are attached to thecross-piece 1;. The spades are forced into the ground by the lever, iig.el, working in the links of these chains and on the top of the spades. Agreat force' is thus exerted on thc spades by thc purchase thusobtained. The spades are forced into the ground at an angle determinedby the position of the guide frames, and the angle of the guide framesis governed by the position of the braces C. When the spades are drivenhome the ends or edges meet at the bottom of the ditch, and when theyare raised they bring up a triangular-shaped piece of earth, leaving aditch pointed or angular at the bottom. It will be noticed that thereare hoolison the sides of one of the spade bails,'seen at g, g. 8. Whenthe spades are ready to be raised from the ditch, the other bail ispassed over this one and below the hooks g. The windlass rope or chainis now att-ached by the hooks 7i to the bail, and the spades containingthe earth are raised by the windlass. The

crane is now swung round t0 wherever it is desired to leave -the earth.llVhen the spades and earth arc loweredv and rest upon the ground, thcbail under the hooks is easily detached as soon as the rope isslackened. The ends of the bails are brought together, and when they areraised in this position the spades leave the earth which they havebrought dp on the ground, It will benoticed that there is a small loosehook on one of the hails. The two bales are held together by this hookuntil they are ready jte enter the ways again for another operation.When it is desired to alter thcwidth of the ditch, the timbers CZ (towhich the guide frames are attached) are moved either from or towardsthe centre, while the braces C are set so that the guide frames governthe angle of the'cut and the ditch. n .I representsthe truck-wheelsunder the frame A. The windlasscrane E is firmly setl upon and attachedto the frame A, the pillar being stationary' and the wyindlnssrevolvingv around the pillar with the arm m of the crane. n isA thecrank of the Windlass.

' Having thus described my invention, what-I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

A ditching machine constructed, arranged, and operating as herein shownand described. I claim the windlass and crane in combination with theinclined guide frames, substantially as described.

GEORGE SULLIVAN.

Witnesses:

R. N. JORDAN, JOHN SALSBURY.

